1 68 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



which we have just described, it affects a fondness 

 for retired situations, where among the low bushes 

 of low lands, and the small trees and underbrush 

 of wooded hillsides, it is busy gleaning from 

 morning until night. It is exceedingly shy and 

 contrives to keep out of the way of danger.. It 

 possesses many of the attributes of the Muscica- 

 pida, and like mitmtus exhibits much energy and 

 spirit in catching its prey on the wing. It is at 

 the same time both terrestrial and arboreal. 



Its flight is low, gliding and tolerbly protracted. 

 In the intervals of feeding, it. is occasionally 

 heard to utter a loud chattering song which Wilson 

 was pleased to characterize as a "sharp, squeaking 

 note, in nowise musical." Mr. Nuttall who dis- 

 played such a happy faculty in expressing the syl-, 

 labic languages of birds, calls ,it a "little, cheerful 

 songster, the very counterpart of our brilliant and 

 cheerful Yellow Bird," and describes its song as 

 lesembling 'tsh-tsh-tsJ.ca. The call is short and 

 far from being loud. 



The following insects constitute a small fraction 

 of its bill of fare: Donacia conflucnia, Haltica 

 chalylea, Cymiriais viridipennis, Dcnacia victallica, 

 Muse a domcslica, Scatophaga furcala, ApJiis mali, 

 Apis mcHifica, Andrencz, Halicii, Selandria rosce, 

 Anisopicryx vernala, Colias philodicc, Eufitchia 

 ribearla in. their larval state and mature forms, 

 with many of the early Noctiiidcz and Tineid<e\ 

 besides ants and small spiders. 



This species breeds in high northern latitudes, 



